week four blog one

We are so lucky to live in these times and be able to accommodate special needs children the way we do.  There are so many technological advances that not only help the children learn, but also help us teach.  

One of the web 2.0 application websites that I analyzed was called Skype.  Skype is a free service that offers video and audio calls online.  You can chat 1 to 1 or through group video calling.  A key feature that is offered and that is extremely helpful when teaching is the screen sharing option.  With this option I may allow you to view my computer screen so that I can show you how to do something, or show you what I am doing or looking at. The screen sharing option can really help students who may need that extra demonstration that others don't.  I think that using the screen sharing on Skype is actually better then standing over the student and showing them where to click because it forces them to analyze and do it themselves, which will help them remember it.

 Another application that I analyzed and found important and useful for students with special needs was called Bloglines.  Bloglines is one of the largest news and feed aggregators in the world.  With over two million users, this website has so much information.  The tool not only helps you build and develop a blog, but you can then share it with whomever you choose across the Internet.  The program is free so it is very classroom accessible.  I imagine this tool extremely useful for painfully shy students, or students who do not speak English well, or students with a studder or speech impediment.  The students and teacher can link to each others blogs and use them very similar to how we have our discussions in blackboard.  Everyone will have equal access to participate and also since in order to use the website, you need a computer with Internet, you can ask the students harder questions that they may have to do a little research to fully develop an understanding.

The third tool that I thought would be extremely useful in a classroom with students with special needs is 280 slides.  With 280 Slides, teachers can send presentations from one to another.  I found this most interesting because personally, I am only receiving my teaching licensure.  I am not going to get a special education license.  However, I can speak with teachers who already have their special education license and share slideshows via 280 slides to make sure that my work can accommodate my students with special needs.  Also I can view slideshows created just for students with special needs and use them if deemed fit.  This allows me to expand and share with a community of teachers to help better the education for my students. 

week three blog one

After watching the lecture on Web 2.0, I can't say I was too impressed with the information presented.  While there were some good ideas presented, most of the suggestions were dependent upon other aspects of a school.  If you are working in a low income area, then making the busses wireless for students to work on their laptops is never going to happen.  Not to mention that in inner city schools a laptop, cell phone, or expensive piece of technology is easily stolen. 

I do like how David Jakes explained encouraging students to work at non traditional work spaces.  The students meeting up to do calculus homework was a great example of how everyone can do work online..... as long as you have a portable computer.  Many cafe's and fast food places do offer free wi-fi.  This can be such a useful tool for students who may not have good internet connections at home, or a way for group projects to be completed.

Another idea that was presented that I liked was blogs.  Like this class, other classes can require blog posts and comments on others.  The blog post serves many purposes.  It makes you learn a new skill, and how to adapt a skill you already know to another one.  When saying that, I mean that if a student already knows Word, then once they understand the general basics of a blog, the rest will be easy because they already know how to navigate the toolbar and what each symbol means.  The repetitive icons help students learn and adapt to a new technology.  While it is more updated and interpersonal then a word document, it can be used the same. 

The third thought that I thought could be useful for me as a teacher to use in my classroom was moodle.  I had never heard of moodle and after the lecture went to the website to get a better feel of what it was.  I think its such a useful tool for educators.  It is a free service, which is very important for most schools.  It is a good supplement to a regular class.  Since it is an online course setting, it would be great if in the classroom you did work face to face but if all homework was completed on moodle.  I think that blended learning is a positive aspect to teaching that should be implemented into a schools curriculum. 
2. blogs
3. moodle